Over the years, Batman has had some iconic covers, but now the Batgirls are channeling their mentor. A new variant cover for Batgirls #1 throws back to the Dark Knight's earliest stories. Lots of covers homage others, but this one is so great because it shows the legacy of Batman over several decades.
Batgirls #1 is a new ongoing series that will feature Barbara Gordon, Stephanie Brown, and Cassandra Cain. Each of them has been a Batgirl - and Stephanie was also a Robin. Now, they'll be joining forces in their own series, spinning out of the events of Fear State. Barbara pushed aside her Oracle persona to once more be Batgirl, but now she will truly have her own Batgirl team.
Comic shop Things From Another World shared an exclusive variant for Batgirls #1 on Twitter. This series has the creative team of Jorge Corona, Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, and Sarah Stern. The cover art for this exclusive variant is illustrated by Babs Tarr. It features Stephanie Brown (Spoiler) and Cassandra Cain (Orphan) in their new Bat-symbol adorned suits. This cover is an homage to Batman #9, which released in 1942 and had cover art by Jack Burnley.
Batman #9 - which had the creative team of Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson, and George Roussos - features Batman and Robin on its cover. This cover is very well-known, with Robin standing with his arm up in front of Batman who holds his cape up, as both are spotlighted. It featured the stories "The Four Fates", "The White Whale", "The Case of the Lucky Law-Breakers", and "Christmas." This is one of Batman and Robin's earliest adventures, long before the Bat-Family grew into what it is today.
The Batgirls #1 variant puts a humorous twist on the cover, including vintage lettering for the title, while Stephanie smiles and holds up peace signs. She stands behind Cassandra, who is far more serious, channeling her inner Batman. This cover does a great job of presenting both Batgirls' personalities, while also riffing on the dynamic duo energy that Batman and Robin have. This is particularly fitting since Stephanie was also a Robin - even if only for a short time.
Batman's debut came more than eighty years ago, but the character still stands as Gotham's defender. However, the last several decades have given him numerous additions to his adoptive family, from multiple Robins, many of whom have new codenames and independent double lives, to multiple Batgirls, who have done the same. The Bat-Family is large and it speaks volumes towards Bruce Wayne's mentorship that his different wards have stayed connected as a broader crime-fighting unit. Gotham is more protected than it has ever been and there will now be multiple teams who can answer the call. Barbara Gordon may have been Bruce's first predominant Batgirl, but now she has her own team that bears their mentor's logo. These heroes have come a long way from being a dynamic duo to creating a new kind of family business. DC fans can see how Batman's former sidekicks have grown into their own when the first issue of Batgirls #1 releases December 14.
Source: Thing From Another World